Joint Issues--:
The first joint issue between the Irish Post office and a foreign postal union took
place with the the United States Postal Services on the 29th. of September 1981, with the
joint issue of the James Hoban Commemoration Stamp. He was an Irish born
architect, who designed the White House, in Washington D.C., home of the US
Presidents. Both stamps featured the same design on which artists from both postal unions
worked together. The stamp was issued as a single 18p stamp in Ireland and as an 18c
and 20c value in the United States.

James Hoban was born in Desart, near Callan, County
Kilkenny, Ireland ,quite near the home of Edmund Rice's family. Having studied
architecture in Dublin, he emigrated to the United States and soon established himself as
an architect in Philadelphia. In 1792 he moved to the District of Columbia and submitted
plans in a competition for the design of the Presidential residence.Hoban's design was
successful and from 1793 to 1800 he oversaw the work of construction. During the war of
1812 the building was attacked and burned leaving only the charred shell
standing.Restoration work under Hoban's supervision was completed in 1817. James Hoban
died in Washington D.C. on December 8th. 1831.

Since it's restoration in 1817 the White House of Hoban's design has been enlarged by the
addition of the North and South Porticoes and also the West and East Wings. In 1948 a
balcony was built behind the pillars of the South Portico.

Hoban's design for the White House is said to be modelled on the design of Leinster
House, Dublin, originally the home of the Duke of Leinster and now the
seat of the Irish Parliament(The Dail).The design on the stamp features the White House as
it was in Hoban's time.He also designed Aras an Uachtarain , the home of the Irish
President in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Ireland.